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. 1971 Apr;47(4):576–580. doi: 10.1104/pp.47.4.576

An Evaluation of 4-S-Methyl-2-Keto-Butyric Acid as an Intermediate in the Biosynthesis of Ethylene

Morris Lieberman 1, A T Kunishi 1
PMCID: PMC396729  PMID: 16657663

Abstract

Stimulation of ethylene production by cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) tissue in buffer solution containing 4-S-methyl-2-keto-butyric acid is not due to activation of the natural in vivo system. Increased ethylene production derives from an extra-cellular ethylene-forming system, catalyzed by peroxidase and other factors, which leak from the cauliflower tissue and cause the degradation of 4-S-methyl-2-keto-butyric acid. This exogenous ethylene-forming system is similar to the ethylene-forming horseradish peroxidase system which utilizes methional or 4-S-methyl-2-keto-butyric acid as substrate. We conclude that 4-S-methyl-2-keto-butyric acid is probably not an intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway between methionine and ethylene.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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